JPH03274524A - Production of preserving and washing liquid for soft contact lens - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simultaneously produce a large volume of the preserving and washing liquid which is subjected to a sterilization treatment and has pH adaptive for various kinds of soft contact lenses and to allow the preservation of this liquid over a long period of time by subjecting brine of 0.85 to 0.95W/V% concn. which is held hermetically sealed in a container to a sterilization treatment by irradiation with an electron beam or X-rays. CONSTITUTION:Official salt is dissolved into refined water (distilled water or pure water subjected to an ion exchange resin) to prepare 0.85 to 0.95W/V% brine and a prescribed amt. of, for example, sodium phosphate salt or sodium borate salt is incorporated therein to adjust the pH of the brine to the pH suitable for the desired soft contact lens. This liquid is packed into a polyethylene (PE) container having, for example, about 10 to 500cc housing capacity and the aperture of the container is sealed. After plural pieces of such PE containers are packaged, the containers are irradiated with the electron beam or X-ray at 5 to 32KGy, by which the liquids are subjected to the sterilization treatment. The production of the sterilized preserving and washing liquid is thus completed. The simultaneous and effective sterilization treatment of the brine adjusted in the pH in the state of hermetically sealing the brine in the containers is possible according to such irradiation with the electron beam or X-rays and, therefore, the sterilization state is maintained even during the long-term preservation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for producing a storage and cleaning solution for soft contact lenses.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when preparing a storage/cleaning solution for soft contact lenses, a specified amount of common salt is dissolved in a specified amount of purified water to prepare only the amount for short-term use, or the salt content is set in advance from 0.85 to 0.85. A manufacturing method has been adopted in which various preservatives, bactericides, etc. are mixed into a saline solution prepared to have a concentration of 0.95'/v%.

However, in the former method, the storage/cleaning solution is not sterilized and cannot be stored for a long period of time, so it can only be prepared for a short period of time, so the solution must be prepared each time soft contact lenses are stored/cleaned. Therefore, storage and cleaning operations have become extremely complicated.

Furthermore, the latter method has the disadvantage that it is not good for the eyes because the preservation/washing solution contains preservatives, sterilizers, etc.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In view of the problems mentioned above, the applicant has determined that
An invention has already been proposed in which a saline solution prepared to contain 0.95''/v% salt is sterilized by irradiating it with gamma rays using cobalt-60.

According to this invention, effective sterilization can be performed by gamma ray irradiation without mixing conventional preservatives, disinfectants, etc. into the liquid, so it can be stored for a long time without damaging the eyes. A storage and cleaning solution for soft contact lenses is obtained.

However, although this gamma ray irradiation enables uniform irradiation, the cobalt-60 used therein must be supplied exclusively through imports, is cheap, and has a large attenuation rate, requiring frequent replenishment.

On the other hand, in recent years, various contact lenses made of various materials have been developed, and due to these differences in materials, it is required to finely adjust the pH of saline solution for storage and cleaning.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to irradiate storage and cleaning solutions with pH levels left on various contact lenses more uniformly than γ-ray irradiation using cobalt-60, and to reduce the attenuation. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a storage/cleaning solution for soft contact lenses that can be sterilized at low cost without causing any damage.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the method of the present invention provides
A soft contact made by sealing a saline solution containing ~0.95"/v% salt or a solution containing an additive for adjusting the pH of the saline solution in a container and subjecting it to sterilization. The method for manufacturing a lens storage/cleaning solution is characterized in that the sealed container is sterilized by irradiating it with an electron beam or X-rays.

[Effect 1 The above soft contact lens storage/cleaning solution is 0.
It is possible to adjust the pH of saline solution having a concentration of 85 to 0.95'/v% to make it suitable for various soft contact lenses.

The above electron beam or X! By irradiation, the pH-adjusted saline solution can be effectively sterilized all at once while it is sealed in a container, making it possible to maintain the sterile state even during long-term storage.

The electron beam or X-ray used in the sterilization process of the present invention is easy to control because it is generated electrically, and the electron beam can be used at high doses, making it possible to perform sterilization in a short time. Furthermore, X-rays have the advantage of higher transmittance than γ-rays, and also enable uniform irradiation.

[Example] Hereinafter, a method for producing a soft contact lens storage/cleaning solution of the present invention will be described in detail.

The soft contact lens storage/cleaning solution of the present invention is produced as follows. That is, first, pharmacopoeial salt is dissolved in purified water (distilled water or pure water treated with ion exchange resin) and 0.
A saline solution containing 85 to 0.95" is mixed with a predetermined amount of, for example, sodium phosphate or sodium borate to adjust the pH of the saline solution to a level suitable for the desired soft contact lens. For example, fill a polyethylene container with a storage capacity of about 10 to 500 cc and seal the opening of the container (or a container that has been treated to prevent microorganisms from entering from the outside by applying internal pressure to the metal container with nitrogen gas, etc.) (The structure may be such that the above saline solution is filled and sealed).

Then, a plurality of polyethylene containers sealed in this manner are packed and sterilized, thus completing the production of the sterilized storage/cleaning liquid.

In addition, since the sterilization process according to the present invention is performed by electron beam or X-ray irradiation, the container to be filled with storage/cleaning liquid, etc. is not limited to a polyethylene container, but can also be applied to containers made of other materials.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the method of the present invention explained above, PH of 0.85 to 0.95"/v% adapted to various soft contact lenses.
Since concentrated saline solution can be sterilized by electron beam or X-ray irradiation while sealed in a container, large quantities of PH sterilized storage/cleaning solution suitable for various soft contact lenses can be manufactured in bulk for long-term use. It can be stored for a period of time.

In addition, the electron beam or X-rays used in the sterilization process of the present invention can be generated electrically, so they are easy to control, making it difficult to procure raw materials as in the case of gamma ray irradiation with cobalt-60. Electron beams achieve sterilization in a short time without causing any sterilization, and X-rays have a higher transmittance than gamma rays (and have the advantage of being able to irradiate uniformly).

The storage/cleaning solution obtained in this way does not contain preservatives, disinfectants, etc., so it will not hurt your eyes when using soft contact lenses, and it will be easier to store and clean soft contact lenses than in the past. There is no need to prepare it every time.

In addition, the preservation/cleaning liquid produced as described above does not fall under the category of quasi-drugs, so it can be sold at supermarkets and the like other than pharmacies.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A saline solution containing 0.85 to 0.95 w/v% of salt, or a solution prepared by mixing the saline solution with an additive for adjusting the pH of the saline solution, is sealed in a container and sterilized. A method of manufacturing a soft contact lens storage/cleaning solution comprising the step of sterilizing the sealed container by irradiating the sealed container with an electron beam or X-rays.